Method and apparatus for packaging cans and the like



Feb. 17, 1959 L. E. ARNESON METHOD -AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING CANS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Jan. 7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVHVTOR.

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Feb. 17, 1959 E. ARNESON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING CANS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 7, 1954 INVENTOR. [aw/"@2065 United States PatentC METHOD D APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING CANS AND THE LIKE Lawrence E. Arnesou, Morris, lll., assignor, by theme assignments, to Federal Paper Board Company, 'Inc.,

Bogota, N. J., a corporation of New York Original "application January 7, 1954, Serial No. 402,628. Divided and this application January 3, 1955, Serial No. 479,391

6 Claims. (Cl. 53*29) The present invention relates to an improved method and a paratus for producing a portable paperboard carrier package for cans of foodstu'ifs, beverages, etc. i The present application is a division of "my 'eo'pending application, Serial No. 102, 628, filed January 7, l'954, i1ow abandoned. General objectives of the invention areto improve, expedite and simplify the packaging operation by affording a simplified sequence of method steps in the manipulation of the carrier in loading the same; and, as a consequence of the above considerations, toprovide improved vpackaging equipment, of considerably .less cost of manufacture and considerably more compact "than comparable apparatus now in use.

A can carrier package as formedby the method and apparatus consists of a paperboard carrier of rectangular, sleeve-like outline havinglparallel top and 'bottompanels disposed in 'fiatwise relation to the tops andbottoms of, say, six cans arranged in two rows, these panels being hingedly connected by vertical side wallpa'nelsdn snug engagement with the upstanding cylindrical surfaces of the cans of each row. are top and'bo'tto'm panels are contoured at their corners to conform with; the rounded contour of the top andbottoin beads or chimes oftthe cans and securing flaps are integrally hinged to opposite ends-of the top and bottom Panels. 'Theseffiaps are of less width tharr the top andybottornpanels, and are overlapped and adhesively secured to one another, forming.

end walls which extend vertically throughout the height of the package. Yet quarter segments of the Yfour corher; cans of the package are displayed to view atitheopen corners of the carrier, enabling a .purchaserto ascertain the nature of the packaged commodityreadily. This tpe rr nitsthe entire exterior orfithe paperboard carrier to be decorated; attractively.

In accordance with the present improvements "thefpac kaging :procedure is simplified and expedited and certain machine ,parts and driving provisions therefonYessential in the loading and sealing of previous relatedtypes of [packagq are dispensed with. Furthermore/inasmuch as the overlapped, vertically extending end panels on the "top and bottom of the carrier are adhesively secured to one another at an elevation midway between the top and bottom of the package, well spaced -from "the "beads of the end cans, the apparatus is} enabled to perform a better pressure sealing at the adhesive connection, Sealing rpr'essure is applied directly against :the cylindrical surof -thetpackage. r r r In performing the packaging procedure of the invensome lowermost knocked-down paperboard container or carrierin a-stack or hopperis mechanicallylfed-forwardly into; a loading and sealing line, 'and-Iin this initial phase certain structural provisions are made in the equipment -to prevent end flaps on thejt'op forming r, panel of the collapsed carrier, which project trom that; panel at a rightiangle to the direct-ionofafeed and are at the trailing end of the carrier, from snagging the corresponding,

faces of cans, which act as apla'ten or anvil at each end more forward end flaps of the bottom panel of the carrier immediately above that fed forwardly. This is necessary because of the existence of a space between the respective sets of flaps of the collapsed carrier and because of the lesser Width of the flaps than the width of the panels with which they are associated. The flat knocked-down carriers are roughly H-shaped, the legs "of the H being in the direction the flaps (extend. The machine provisions to the above end take the form of downwardly and forwardly curved plates mounted in the space between such legs and terminatingjn'st in underlying relation to the rear of the forward pair of flaps 'on the bottom forming panel of the carrier which is immediately above the one being forwarded.

As the lowermost carrier feeds forwardly, it is deposited on a continuously moving, chain type conveyor, which has'projecting pusher arms. These commence the operation of spreading the carrier to rectangular cross sectional outline, with the assistance of a pair of rear- Wardly and downwardly curved flap-manipulating rods. The rods diverge laterally as they incline downwardly toward the level of advance of the carrier, in effect 'spearing into the spaces between the two sets of flaps, referred to above, and engaging beneath the end Ifiap's on the top trailing panel of the carrier. The latter is sufficiently spread at this time to receive the rods without interference. As this happens, the flaps come under the control of further fixed flap controlling members. One in'eniber engages over the top of the end flap on th'ehbottomformingpahel to ham or plow it downwardly, while two others ride over the end'margins of, the top "forming aneIJestrainingthe samieas its fiapsjare being plowed upwardly by the spearing rods 'previously re- "f'erred to. further rod rides over the end margin of the bottom forming panel, at the 'end thereo f remote "from theend to be lcaded and the flap adjoining that margin is simultaneously plowed upwardly about this member as a fulcrum by a final fixed control member oriplate. ,7

Thus "the body of the carrier is erected in part with 'the assistance of the flaps of the top and bottornjpanels, particularly those on the bottom panel, under which the first mentioned rods spear. The flaps at the loadingend of the carrier are progressively spread widely relative to one another to expose that end fully for loading, the bottom panel flap is properly positioned and held ,upright relative to that panel for final sealing, being well out from adjacent ends of the sidewalls andbeing supported for abutment by cans fed into the loading end, and "the remaining top panel flap is spread wellup above it to receive a glue stripe when ithatpha'seof the operation is reached, "The empty but squared carrier now successively passes three rotary star wheel typeloading .headsgeachof which has pockets shaped to successivelypicka pair of .cans from a radiallyradvancing belt conveyoryand madva'ne them transversely across :the carrier conveyorfand'into the carrier mouth, as the carrierllfiaps at -t'hatend are held vertically spread vby the provisions eferred to above.

number thereof determined, as is-also the design or numher of :the star wheel pockets, by the intended capacity of the package, the carrier is ready for the sealing of its end flaps. l-In this, theiloading end lilaps of thetbottom panel are plowed tor permitted to. snap upwardly past their control rods and the top panel flaps at each end are progressively-plowed downwardly (to a horizontal. position. pair of glue wheels =on: opposite sides ,ofithe path of advance of the partially. completed -paclcage each -applies:-a striped adhesive to thesame, whereuporrthese .tlaps are downwardly plowed; to overlapping relation "to the upturned lower flaps, and are sealed thereto by longitudinally travelling side sealing belts. These compress the overlapped areas against the can sides to effect a very strong and secure seal of the flaps, constituting the same end Walls for the package which tightly confinethe packaged cans. The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention. Other and more specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the .art upon a full understanding of the method and machine aspects thereof. In each case a single embodiment is presented for purpose of illustration. It will be appreciated that the invention may be incorporated in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the improved apparatus and procedure used in erecting a flat, knocked-down carrier container and in further manipulating the same, as well as the objects to be packaged;

package.

An understanding of the nature of the carrier manipu- "lated by the apparatus will facilitate an understanding of the functions performed by the latter.

With this in mind, reference should first be had to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 A flat blank 10 of flexible paperboard, from whichfthe .carrier is made, is illustrated in Fig. 4. It comprises an articulated series of top, bottom and side forming panels which are each generally rectangular in shape. These include a rectangular side wall panel 11 to which a bottom panel 12 is integrally hinged by a transverse crease 13, a further side wall panel 14 hinged to panel 12 by a crease 15 paralleling crease 13, and a top forming panel 16 hinged by crease 17 to side wall panel 14. Top panel 16 is provided with a terminal glue lap 18, hinged thereto by transverse crease, and has formed therein a pair of transversely spaced finger holes 19, through which the fingers of the user are inserted to grasp the panel 16 in spaces between cylindrical cans in the carrier. Bottom forming panel 12 is also provided with a pair of off center apertures 20 to facilitate refrigeration.

Top and bottom panels 16, 12, respectively, are of substantially larger area than side wall panels 14, extendingtom panel 12, designated 22, are integrally hinged to the ends of the respective panelsby longitudinally extending creases 23. The end wall flaps on the top panel 16 are designated 25, being integrally hinged to that panel by longitudinally extending creases 26. In the packaging procedure, longitudinally extending stripes of'adhesive are appliedjto areas 24 across the extreme outer ends of the top panel flaps 25. V

Assuming rounded corners 27 of the top and bottom panels to be of roughly 90 are or of quadrant shape, the width of the flaps 22, 25 approximately equals the distance between the outer, mutually facing extremities of'the respective corner-arcs 27. Similarly, the transverse width 12 as this is done. similarly restrains top panel 16 adjacent crease 26 as the flap. 25 is picked up by an adjacent shaped rod 37 and swung upwardly to expose the loading mouth of of the side wall panels 11, 14 approximately equals the distance between the other mutually facing extremities of the quadrants.

In completing the carrier to its fiat, knocked-down condition, the top panel 16 is folded upwardly, inwardly and downwardly about crease 17 and onto side wall panel 14, whereupon side wall panel 11 is similarly folded 180? about crease 13 adhesively secured in overlapping relation to glue lap 18. This provides a flat, knocked down carrier in the condition illustrated in Fig. 5.

It will be noted that a space 28 of substantial width intervenes between the respective sets of bottom end wall flaps 22 and top end wall flaps 25 at opposite ends of the carrier, these flaps extending outwardly in parallel relation to the panel hinging creases 13, 15, 17 and to glue lap 18, the panels 22 projecting still further out wardly beyond the end extremities of the respective flaps 25.

The packaging procedure and machine of the invention are depicted in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, in a very schematic way, and in considering these views it should be borne in mind that many structural details which are old and Well known in the art have been omitted in the interest of simplicity. However, Fig. l, supplemented by Figs. 2 and 3, affords a complete and adequate representation of what happens in the operation of the improved packaging machine and process.

A stack of the flat, collapsed carriers, generally designated 30, -is appropriately supported in a suitable hopper, which is not shown other than in respect to novel provisions for controlling the bottom out-feed of the carriers The structure provided for this purpose includes a reciprocatory pusher 31 actuated in any suitable fashion to en gage and forward the lowermost carrier 30, and a pair of upstanding outfeed control plates 32. Each of these is fixedly positioned on the machine in a space 28 between the respective sets of lateraly projecting end flaps 22, 25 on the forwardly disposed bottom forming panel 12 and on the rearwardly disposed or trailing top forming panel 16.

Each plate 32 is shaped adjacent its bottom in the form of a forwardly projecting, curved restraining presser foot 33, whose free edge terminates just before and slightly below the rear edge of a forward, end wall flap 22. It is the purpose of these feet to direct the trailing end wall flaps 25 beneath the flaps 22 of the carrier next above, without snagging the sameas the bottom carrier is advanced forwardly by the push bar 31.

The flat carriers are advanced directly onto a continuously travelling, chain-type conveyor (not shown) which is provided with upwardly projecting arms to engage be hind the carrier and forward the same through the ensuing operations of spreading, filling and sealing the carrier.

The erecting and flap spreading provisions of the machine consist primarily of a set of fixed, longitudinally extending, shaped plow rods or members acting slidingly on the carrier 30 as it progresses along the machine. A set of rotary, star wheel can inserting heads and gluing and belt sealing devices also operate on the carrier and cans, designated C, to complete the package.

The control or spreader rods are constituted as follows: In relation to the apparatus depicted in Fig. 1, a longitudinally extending bottom rod 34, on the near side of the machine as viewed in Fig. 1, acts on the near forward end flap 22 as carrier 30 passes it to commence downward swinging of that flap. A fixed rod supports bottom panel A fixed rod 36 on the near side the carrier; and theshape and functions of rods 36, 37

'are duplicated at the opposite end of the carrier by rods designated by the same reference numerals, primed. Since 'it is ultimately desired to swing the bottom panel's far end flap 22 upwardly for gluing, the panel is restrained adjacent its crease 23 by a fixed rod 38 (Fig; 2)-undjer which it passes.

vertical position of Fig. 2-

Each of the rods 37, 37' has an integral, downwardly and outwardly curved rear extremity of substantial length, specially designated 40,] which termihates somewhat above the path ofthe-conveyor. So; positioned the portions will spear into the spaces 28 between the, forward and trailing flaps 22, 25, respectively (see Fig. 3) as the carrier, partially spread by a chain conveyor arm 41 is advanced to and along therods. This causes the rear pair offiaps 25 to ride upwardly Oill'OdS' 37, 37'. The camming or plowing action further squares the carrier in a rectangular outline as its near flaps 22, 25 and; far flaps 25 are simultaneously swung outwardly, to the approximate positions of'Fig. 2;

The advancing and squared carrier 30, first passes a. rotary loading h ead 42 of a star wheel type. It has a pair of outwardly spacing adjacent can-receiving recesses or pockets 43 on a segment ofiits otherwise cylindrical periphery, and as a squared carrier approaches the same the head 42receives a pair of cans C in these two recesses, forwarded. to the head by abelt conveyor generally designated 44, and swings them inwardly andlforwardly, in synchronism with the advancing carrier 39. Thus the first pair of cans is traversed across the carrier conveyor and partially inserted into the carrier, to the, position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Second" and third rotary star wheel loaders 45 and 46 are spaced longitudinally to therear of loader 42; they areidentical to the lattenbeing supplied by can conveyors.44 andtheyoperate in the same fashion. When thecarrier has passed the third loader it will have received a. full complement of six cans, arrangedin two parallel rows of three cans apiece.

At this point the near flap 22 of the carrier passes upwardly past its control rod 34, and an inward and up ward curvature 47 of that rod then engages beneath said flap and swings it up to a position corresponding to that of the companion far flap 22 in Fig. 2, i. e., in vertical side contacting relation to the adjacent pair of end cans which have been last loaded in the carrier. Flaps 22 are held in this position as the carriers advance past a pair of glue pots 48, whose glue wheels 49 now engage and deposit stripes of adhesive on the free outer extremities 24 (Fig. l) of the top end wall flaps 25. When this is done, forwardly and inwardly converging portion 50 of the rods 36, 36' becomes effective to plow the flaps 25 downwardly and to adhere their glued areas to the flaps 22, in vertically overlapped relation. This completes the shaping of the package; it is only necessary to tightly seal the glued flaps. The operation is performed by a pair of opposed, endless horizontal belts 51 trained around longitudinally spaced pulleys 52 and driven in any appropriate fashion. The belts press the overlapped areas of the flaps under high unit pressure directly against midpoints of end cans at either end of the carrier, with the result that a very tight seal is effected. The set of six cans is very snugly encased by the carrier end and side walls and a very compact and block-like package is produced.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for erecting and filling paperboard containers characterized in a flat, knocked'down condition by pairs of opposed end flaps integrally hinged by longitudinal creases to and extending transversely from each opposite end of a pair of top and bottom forming panels, which are in turn integrally hinged to a pair of side wall panels by transverse creases paralleling the direction of said flaps, the flaps of one of said panels being longitudinally spaced from those of the other panel, said apparatus comprising means to advance a lowermost container from a stack of said knocked-down containers in Finally, a fixed', shaped plow plate 39 acts inwardly against said flap 22 to swing it to the thedirection of said longitudinal creases, with messes of one panel trailing those of the other, andbottom separator plates disposed in thespaces of said stack between said longitudinally spaced flaps, said separator plates being provided with downwardly and forwardly curved; lower extremities whose forward edges are positioned below and closely adjacent to the rear of the forward flaps of the lowermost container, whereby to vertically restrain and guide the trailing flaps of that container and prevent snagging thereof with a container above.

2; An apparatus for erecting and filling paperboardcontainers characterized in a fiat, knocked-down condition by pairs of opposed end flaps integrally hinged by longitudinal creases to and extending transversely fromeach opposite end of a pair of top and bottom forming panels, which are in turn integrally hinged to a. pair of side wall panels by'transverse creases paralleling the direction of said flaps, the flaps of one of said panels being longitudis nally spaced from those of the other panel, said apparatus comprising means to advance a lowermost container from a stack of said knocked-down containers in the direction of said longitudinal creases, with the flaps of one panel trailing those of the other, bottom separator plates disposed in the spaces of said stack between said longitudinally spaced flaps, said separator plates being provided with downwardly and forwardly curved lower extremities .whose forward edgesare positioned below and-closely adjacent to the rear of the forward flaps'of the lowermost container, whereby to vertically restrain and guide the trailing flaps of'that container and prevent snagging thereof with a container above, and means to erect said container to a rectangular cross sectional outline including a pair of longitudinally-extending rods having rear extremi ties which angle downwardly toward said lowermostcontainer, and are engageable beneath the forward edges of said trailing flaps in the spaces between the flaps of the respective top and bottom panels.

3. A method of packaging cans and like articles in a collapsible paperboard container featuring hingedly articulated top, bottom and side panels and pairs of opposed end wall flaps hinged to opposite extremities of said top and bottom panels, said method comprising advancing a lowermost, flat, knocked-down container from a generally vertical stack thereof in a generally horizontal direction with the flaps on said top panel trailing those on said bottom panel, engaging said top panel flaps from beneath the lower forward edges thereof and progressively elevating said top panel while continuing forward travel of said container and restraining said bottom panel flaps against vertical movement, whereby to urge said container toward a rectangular cross sectional outline, swinging a pair of corresponding top and bottom panel flaps in opposite vertical directions to expose an open end of the container, inserting a complement of articles into said open end to completely fill the container and folding and sealing said corresponding end flaps in vertically overlapped relation.

4. A method of packaging cans and like articles in a collapsible paperboard container featuring hingedly articulated top, bottom and side panels and pairs of opposed end wall flaps hinged to opposite extremities of said top and bottom panels, comprising advancing a lowermost, flat, knocked-down container from a stack thereof with the flaps on said top panel trailing those on said bottom panel, engaging said top panel flaps from beneath the lower forward edges thereof and progressively elevating said top panel and vertically restraining the bottom panel by slidingly engaging the same from above while continuing forward travel of said container whereby to urge said container toward a rectangular cross sectional outline, swinging a pair of corresponding top and bottom panel flaps in opposite vertical directions to expose an open end of the container, inserting a complement of articles into said open end to completely fill the container and folding and sealing said corresponding end flaps in vertically overlapped relation by pressure applied along a longitudinal line and in a vertical zone of the package located substantially midway of its height.

5. An apparatus for erecting and filling paperboard containers characterized in a flat, knocked-down condition by pairs of opposed end flaps integrally hinged by longitudinal creases to and extending transversely from each opposite end of a pair of top and bottom forming panels, which are in turn integrally hinged to a pair of side wall panels by transverse creases paralleling the direction of said flaps, the end flaps of one of said panels having their forward edges longitudinally spaced from the rearward edge of the other panel, said apparatus comprising means for supporting a stack of said knockeddown containers, means associated with said stack supporting means to advance the endmost container edgewise from the stack in the direction of said longitudinal creases, with the flaps of one panel longitudinally spaced from and trailing those of the other, and separator plates associated with said stack supporting means and disposed in the spaces of said stack between said longitudinally spaced flaps, said separator plates extending to the end of the stack and having forwardly curved end portions whose forward edges are positioned beneath and closely adjacent to the rear of the forward flaps of the endmost container, whereby to restrain and guide the trailing flaps of that container and prevent snagging thereof with the next adjacent container in the stack. g

6. An apparatus for erecting and filling paperboard containers characterized in a fiat, knocked-down condition by pairs of opposed end flaps integrally hinged by longitudinal creases to and extending transversely from each opposite end of a pair of top and bottom forming panels, which are in turn integrally hinged to a pair of side wall panels by transverse creases paralleling the direction of said flaps, the flaps of one of said panels being longitudinally spaced from those of the other panel, said apparatus comprising means to support a plurality of said knocked-down containers, which are arranged, in superimposed stack forming relation, means to advance the lowermost container from the stack in the direction of said longitudinal creases, with the flaps of one panel spaced from and trailing those of the other, bottom separator plates associated with said stack supporting means and disposed in the spaces of said stack between said longitudinally spaced flaps, said separator plates having downwardly and forwardly curved lower portions whose forward edges are positioned below and closely adjacent to the rear of the forward flaps of the lowermost container, whereby to vertically restrain and guide the trailing flaps of the lowermost container as it is advanced from the stack and prevent snagging thereof with the next adjacent container in-the stack, and means to erect said container to a rectangular cross sectional outline including a pair of longitudinally extending rods having rear end portions which angle downwardly toward said lowermost container, and are engageable beneath the forward edges of said trailing flaps in the spaces between the flaps of the respective top and bottom panels and means spaced vertically from said rods for engaging the leading flaps and restraining them against vertical movement as the container is advanced away from said stack supporting means.

References Cited in the'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,376,499 Anderson May 3, 1921 1,935,269 7 'Jones Nov. 14, 1933 2,646,656 Wahl July 28, 1953 2,660,844 Schroeder Dec. 1, 1953 

